Chapter 1: Rethinking Self-Improvement

When I began my journey on Medium, I gravitated towards listicles and how-to articles crafted by leading writers, promising quick tips for becoming a better person. Eventually, I lost interest. The repetition became monotonous.

If you resonate with this feeling, you might find yourself overwhelmed by familiar advice. A string of listicles will unlikely transform your entrenched habits. Yet, some authors possess a unique talent for engaging their readers. Despite sharing common themes, their narratives are captivating and personal.

Nevertheless, I sense a significant limitation in our understanding of self-improvement. There is an overlooked aspect in the self-help domain that urgently demands our attention.

The common themes in self-improvement literature often include:

• Going to bed and rising earlier
• Journaling for reflection and analysis
• Practicing meditation, affirmations, and visualization
• Committing to consistency and long-term objectives
• Taking your responsibilities seriously
• Being accountable to yourself and others
• Practicing kindness and collaboration
• Avoiding self-centeredness
• Eating nutritious foods
• Engaging in physical activity
• Staying hydrated
• Reducing screen time
• Prioritizing important tasks
• Setting goals and following through
• Cultivating self-awareness and emotional intelligence
• Managing your focus
• Establishing systems and habits
• Adopting a growth mindset and embracing failure
• Nurturing curiosity, among others.

While I recognize that these recommendations encompass valuable insights and personal anecdotes, my aim here is to emphasize a broader perspective.

What constitutes personal improvement? According to the Oxford Dictionary, it signifies enhancing one’s knowledge, status, or character through individual efforts. This definition is quite expansive.

So, what enhances one’s character? There are numerous ways to foster character development.

When contemplating self-improvement, we must widen our scope. Often, our focus is restricted to ourselves, our families, colleagues, and acquaintances.

What are we neglecting?

The self-improvement landscape requires a shift in focus. We live in an exceptionally self-absorbed culture. It is essential to consider our planet and every living being inhabiting it. Issues like climate change—affecting every individual on this planet—should be integral to our discussions.

We can enhance ourselves by also nurturing our planet.

Yet, climate change often lacks appeal. A glance at the follower counts of platforms like Better Marketing, Better Humans, or those centered on personal finance and creativity reveals a trend:

People are seeking life hacks. They want to generate income, alleviate anxiety, heal emotional wounds, and celebrate their achievements. However, we often overlook the fact that none of these aspirations will materialize without a healthy planet.

We must engage in difficult conversations and alter our consumption habits.

Governments should reassess their metrics for economic growth, ceasing to fund militarization and overlooking major offenders.

As individuals, we should reconsider how we allocate our time, become politically engaged, and adopt alternative lifestyles. This requires us to step beyond our familiar surroundings.

It’s a daunting task, but a significant paradigm shift is necessary.

What actions can we take to enhance our character?

We should contemplate the welfare of others and prepare for future generations. We are leaving this planet to our children and those who come after them. Indigenous cultures have long prioritized future generations, serving as stewards of their land.

While we care for our offspring, we often neglect the heavy burdens we are bequeathing them.

Let’s strive for personal improvement by extending our concern beyond ourselves.

This could manifest in various ways: adopting a meatless diet, cycling instead of driving, cultivating a garden, volunteering, changing travel habits, signing e-petitions, or donating to causes. Each of these can be framed as a personal growth objective.

If frontline activism like Kornelija’s isn’t your style (and kudos to her!), there are still ways to exert pressure on governments and corporations from the sidelines.

The first video, "How To Make Money In The Personal Development Niche (And Why Many Don't)," discusses the nuances of monetizing self-improvement content while highlighting common pitfalls.

Chapter 2: Climate Change and Collective Responsibility

As a climate change activist, I participate in protests, craft signs from recycled materials, and attend local meetings.

I actively support organizations like SumOfUs, which rallies over 20 million individuals to hold corporations accountable for their actions. Engaging with their initiatives—whether through reading, donating, signing petitions, or sharing with friends—can yield significant impact. Even if financial contributions are not an option, participating in petitions can create meaningful change.

Making our planet a more peaceful, livable, equitable, and sustainable place should be a paramount personal improvement goal. We cannot rely on others to undertake this work.

If we approach our responsibility to care for the planet with the same seriousness as we apply to self-care, we can achieve substantial progress.

Let’s elevate ourselves by advocating for and preserving our planet. This endeavor enriches our humanity.

The second video, "Faceless Channel Ideas (Self Improvement Niche)," presents innovative concepts for creating content in the self-improvement space without revealing personal identity.